New Orleans Hornets Coach Monty Williams said if injured shooting guard Eric Gordon would have been available Wednesday night, it might had prevented a 100-96 loss to the Houston Rockets at the Toyota Center.

Gordon remains in Los Angeles going through extensive rehabilitation work to recover from a sore right knee. He is not expected to return until mid-December at the earliest.

``When we cut it to four last night (Wednesday), it was like prime time for Eric to just take over,’’ Williams said. ``Even if it was close, like a one-point game down the stretch, you feel like you got a chance because you can give him the ball. If he doesn’t get something, then somebody else will. But I told the coaches last night, if we had Eric you never know.’’

The Hornets cut the deficit to 89-85 with 8:47 remaining in the game against the Rockets after backup point guard Brian Roberts made a 3-pointer and two free throws. But from that point, New Orleans never got closer than five down the stretch.

The Hornets announced last week that Gordon, 23, would undergo more personalized and intensive rehabilitation workouts in Los Angeles to help in his recovery from recurring problems with his right knee, the team announced Wednesday.

Gordon missed all of training camp, the Hornets’ eight-game preseason schedule and their first four regular-season games, including Wednesday night against the Philadelphia 76ers, because of a sore right knee. It's the same knee that forced Gordon to miss all but nine games last season after requiring arthroscopic surgery last February to remove cartilage particles.

``I’ve talked to Eric and he’s doing his rehab, but it’s still four to six weeks as far as I know,’’ Williams said after Thursday’s practice.